Breakout players at every position at the midpoint of the 2025 NFL season
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- Drake Maye has been spectacular for the Patriots: He ranks sixth among qualified quarterbacks with an 84.5 PFF grade and an 82.7 PFF passing grade.
- Laiatu Latu has blossomed into a star: Alongside Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt, he’s one of just three qualified edge defenders with at least a 75.0 grade as a pass rusher and as a run defender.
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Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
A new wave of stars arrive every NFL season, some of whom assert themselves near the top of their positional rankings. As we have passed by the midway point of the 2025 NFL regular season, we can begin to identify who some of those players are.
Here are the midseason breakout players who have produced on an individual basis and improved their teams along the way.
Maye’s rise is well-documented at the midway point of this season, as he’s played outstanding football with New England currently tied for the best record in the AFC at 7-2. He ranks sixth among qualified quarterbacks with an 84.5 PFF grade and an 82.7 PFF passing grade. Though he came into the NFL with a reputation as a vertical passer, Maye leads the NFL with a 74.1% completion rate.
Williams signed a one-year contract in Dallas in an attempt to get his career back on track. He’s done that and plenty more through the first half of the season. Williams’ 83.0 PFF rushing grade and 5.2 yards per carry rank among the top five qualified running backs so far this season. He’s regained his penchant for running through contact and shaking off tackles. His 558 yards after contact place second behind Jonathan Taylor, while his 31 missed tackles forced rank fourth in the league.
Smith-Njigba’s breakout began in earnest last season, but his production this year has been hard to ignore — he’s firmly in the Offensive Player of the Year conversation. Through Week 9, he leads the NFL with 948 receiving yards and a ridiculous 4.41 yards per route run. Smith-Njigba has seen a significant increase in downfield targets, which is represented by his career-high 12.8-yard average depth of target.
Buffalo isn’t thought to have a top-tier receiving option, but Dalton Kincaid is doing his best to change that narrative. Through Week 9, Kincaid ranks fifth among qualified tight ends with an 80.1 PFF receiving grade. His 2.96 yards per route run leads that same group, and his 15.2 yards per reception ranks second. Kincaid should continue to rack up production as the Bills focus their offense on him and the rest of their excellent tight end unit.
Another reason for Seattle’s emergence as an elite offense is the stability of its offensive line. The Seahawks’ right tackle, Abraham Lucas, has been a core part of that this season after an injury-riddled 2024. Lucas’ 76.5 PFF grade slots as the sixth-best among qualified right tackles. He’s allowed just two sacks, none after Week 2, and committed just one penalty so far this season.
Ingram’s breakout this season was desperately needed in Houston, and he’s perhaps the most surprising player on this list. After three seasons earning sub-60.0 grades in Minnesota, Ingram currently ranks ninth among all qualified guards with a 73.9 PFF grade and a 76.6 PFF run-blocking grade. He’s also permitted just one sack across 299 pass-blocking snaps after giving up 21 over the previous three seasons. At just 26 years old, Ingram is still young enough to potentially make a long-term impact in Houston.
The Colts possess arguably the best offensive line in football this year, and their second-year center is a big part of that unit. Bortolini’s 80.9 PFF grade ties him for second among qualified centers. He’s put his excellent athleticism to good use in the run game, where he’s earned a terrific 84.4 PFF run-blocking grade. Bortolini also has yet to give up a sack this season. The Colts’ offense has been rolling all year, and Bortolini’s breakout is an important part of the unit’s elite production.
Collins has been an important piece of arguably the best defensive line in the NFL in Cleveland. His previous career-high PFF grade was 65.4, set in 2022 in Houston. He’s on pace to shatter that mark with an 86.5 PFF grade that currently ranks third among qualified defensive tackles. Like his Browns teammates, Collins has been unstoppable as a pass rusher. His 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade and 16.8% pass-rush win rate are both top-five marks in the NFL.
Edge Rusher: Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts
Latu is becoming the player the Colts hoped when they made him the first defensive selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. He currently places sixth in the NFL with a 90.2 PFF grade. Alongside Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt, he’s one of just three qualified edge defenders with at least a 75.0 grade as a pass rusher and as a run defender. If that weren’t enough, Latu is also the only defensive lineman this season with multiple interceptions.
Campbell’s breakout into stardom began last season, but with San Francisco’s Fred Warner out for the rest of the season, he has an argument as the best linebacker currently playing in the NFL. Campbell’s 91.8 PFF run-defense grade leads all qualified linebackers. He also ranks 15th in PFF coverage grade and seventh in PFF pass-rush grade, which makes him the only linebacker currently in the top 15 of all three categories.
Flott earned a starting position with the Giants at the outset of the season and has taken full advantage of the opportunity. Through Week 9, Flott’s 79.6 PFF coverage grade places him fifth among qualified cornerbacks. So far, he’s surrendered just a 62.6 passer rating into his coverage while intercepting one pass and breaking up six others. Still just 24 years old, this could be the beginning of an exciting era in Flott’s career.
Safety: Jaylinn Hawkins, New England Patriots
Hawkins struggled in New England’s Week 1 loss to Las Vegas, but like the rest of his team, he’s enjoyed an unexpected breakout into stardom. Including that tough first contest, Hawkins ranks second among qualified safeties with an 80.2 PFF grade. He’s tallied two interceptions in coverage, two sacks as a blitzer and has only missed two tackles all season. Hawkins’ emergence gives the Patriots hope that their secondary can continue to improve as the season progresses.
